League News

The League is eager to ensure that two highly respected figures of Mid Shropshire, Shropshire and even British crown green bowling – both recently passed Life Members – get the send off they so richly deserve. Officers are hoping that the celebration of the life of John Hughes and the funeral of Barry Griffiths will both be well attended by bowlers as …

More sad news has reached the League just before the start of the new season in divisions 1-2-3 tomorrow. John Hughes, the former Mid Shropshire competition secretary up until the 1990s, passed away in the early hours of Monday 15th April in Telford Hospital. He also served the League as a junior selector and, in more recent years, helped current officers reinforce …

It is with much sadness that I write to inform the League's bowlers and followers of the sad passing of Barry Griffiths. A stalwart of the St Georges club, Barry passed away on Thursday 11th April at the Severn Hospice. He was assistant secretary of the BCGBA for many years and was made a life member of the association for his efforts. …

A packed programme of action in the Monday divisions – 4, 5 and 6 – starts tonight (8th April) with four new sides in a 13-strong sixth division. Newport D were Monday evening champions last year and must be among the favourites to take the title again in 2024. Meanwhile, delegates at the League’s April meeting heard there was a new progressive …

ROUND-UP FROM THE APRIL MEETING: The League’s Saturday Division has lift-off again! Seven teams will play matches of 4 singles and 2 doubles starting at 2pm in June. The division has been in cold storage since the 2019 campaign due to the pandemic and officers will now try and recruit an 8th team so there are no byes in the fixture programme. …

It may not be an executive meeting, but the League’s April gathering on Tuesday the 2nd is vital for many reasons – including collection of scorecards, captains books and BCGBA handbooks! And they will be needed soon as the first fixtures of the season are on Thursday in the Afternoon Division and the Dennis Lewis Division. The April meeting is open to …

There’s less than a week to go before the first League fixtures of the new 2024 season. But, before then, the League’s officers would like to wish all of its bowlers, friends and clubs a happy, healthy and peaceful Easter. The new campaign opens with first matches in the Afternoon Division and the Dennis Lewis Division taking place on Thursday 4th April. …

It’s Saturday and the afternoons will be soon be a lot warmer . . . and YOU could be playing bowls in a unique division the League is hoping to re-boot in 2024. Matches in the Saturday Division are four singles-two doubles and that means that a minimum of just 4 bowlers is required to fulfil fixtures that start at 2pm. This …

Now that the League’s fixtures have gone live, the finalised 2024 Competition and Team KO dates are now available on this website. They have been emailed to the secretaries of all 27 member clubs with entry deadlines and fees, plus venues if known at this stage. Ahead of the start of the new playing season, all bowlers interested in learning about the …

We are ready to roll! The fixtures for the 2024 season are now LIVE on the website. And the finalised competition and team knockout dates, entry fees and venues if already known, will be posted by organiser Rob Burroughs today on the relative pages. The Club Contacts for 2024 are now Live too! And big thanks go to webmaster Steve Wall for …

A brand new club and 11 new teams were accepted into the League for the 2024 season at the season-defining March executive meeting. Meole Brace from Shrewsbury were voted into the Dennis Lewis Thursday Division along with the returning Sir John Bayley and B teams from Allscott Heath and Prince of Wales Hotel to give it a perfect 14 sides. Four new …

The new 48 hour deadline for new team applications or old team withdrawals before the March executive meeting has passed! And that means fixture secretary John Palmer is able to finalise the proposed divisional structures for the 2024 season. He will be working closely with competition secretary Rob Burroughs to ensure all their dates marry up in what looks like being a …

The League’s bid give new life to its Saturday Division has been launched. In hibernation since 2019 due to the pandemic, the 4 singles-2 doubles division will have fixtures that start at 2pm. “We already have interest from 4 clubs – Allscott Heath, Charlton, Sinclair and Worfield – in competing as they can see that a minimum of 4 bowlers are needed …

Member clubs have already been given advance notice that League officers are considering holding an extra pre-season meeting ahead of the 2024 campaign. Updating secretaries and team captains – old and new – about the rules passed at the AGM in January is a key reason, but there’s also the issues of safety and safeguarding. And, just as important in terms of …

Congratulations go to the League’s fixture secretary John Palmer (pictured) who has added yet another string to his bowls bow. John, the Bylet club secretary and chairman and fixture secretary of the Highley League, was elected secretary of the Mid Shropshire Senior Citizens League at its AGM. Bridgnorth-based John was already serving as its webmaster and is following in the administrative footsteps …

All the 3 sets of rules by which the League will be run for the 2024 season are now LIVE on this website for all bowlers to see – under the Admin icon. The key changes to bear in mind as the playing campaign approaches is the new 48 hours before the March executive meeting deadline for team applications and withdrawals – …

Lots of positive feedback has followed the League’s recent annual presentation dinner when two bowlers making title-winning returns to the sport were in the spotlight. League President Mike Potter led the tributes to John Breeze and Ellie Wall as all the 2023 honours were saluted at the function at the West Stand @ TUFC in Wellington. More than 150 people attended on …

Fixture Secretary's report to the 2024 MSBL AGM Good evening everybody. I’ll swiftly cover the past season and then go on to talk about 2024. 2023 all went pretty well, despite some poor weather at times. Very few fines were imposed for rule transgressions. Congratulations to all the clubs that did well and commiserations to those that didn’t.I’d like to take this …

Hadley USC’s proposal to introduce an extra point for teams winning away from home in divisions 1 to 6 was passed by a 16-6 vote – so they will get 4 points in 2024. But Charlton's amendment for divisions 4 to 6 failed 10-13. The League’s bid to introduce 11-a-side fixtures in division 1 this year was also defeated 7-9. But their …

It’s going to be a numbers game at the League’s AGM tonight (Tuesday 23rd January) at Wellington’s Sir John Bayley Club (7pm start). But delegates won’t need to bring their calculators with them – what they have to consider is how the League accommodate the number of teams applying to join it for the 2024 season, the huge number of rule change …